Oct 04, Colombo: Sri Lanka Police have said that one of the suspects taken into custody in connection with the murder of a police constable in Moratuwa yesterday has drowned in a river in Bolgoda, Moratuwa while in police custody.

The suspect had reportedly died while returning with a team of police officers after revealing the location where the weapons used in the murder of the policeman were hidden.

The Police have released a statement saying that four suspects from Modera Moratuwa and one suspect from Panadura were taken into custody following investigations conducted by the Moratuwa Police regarding the stabbing of the Police Constable (PC).

One of the suspects had revealed that the weapons used in the murder were hidden in an islet in the Bolgoda Lake and he was accompanied by a team of Moratuwa police officers today morning, the Police have said.

Police Media Spokesperson SSP Maxi Proctor has stated in the release that the suspect had traveled to the islet in a navy boat with the Police team. The suspect who was handcuffed had suddenly attacked the policeman near him while returning from the islet.

According to the Police, the police officer had fallen into the water and the suspect had then followed by jumping into the lake.

The other officers had acted immediately and rescued both the suspect and the policeman and the suspect had been pronounced dead upon admission to the Panadura Hospital. The policeman is in a critical condition at the ICU of Kalubowila Teaching hospital.